Sword Art Online - Altered Memories
by YamiTempest
Summary: The death game known as sword art online has started and Kirito an experienced beta tester must fight for survival in a unique world but little does he know that there are thing working in the dark and fate has thrown a strange figure into the mix.
1. Chapter 1 - The stranger and the Creater

Prologue

? - POV

"So you know what I am up too"

The man standing across from me said with an unreadable expression. The two of us stood five meters apart sizing each other up. The man I was looking at was crazy but then again all geniuses usually are he seems to enjoy playing god and to be totally honest I didn't care as long as I can complete my mission. We were located at the sword art online main server room where in a few hours a worldwide incident will occur. I didn't care about that ether I just wanted to talk.

"yes I know all about the plan you have put into motion"

"Hmm you are very interesting seeing as you confronted me here and also managed to slip past all my security I conclude I should be somewhat wary of you"

"Please don't be Mr. Akihiko I may know all your plans but I have no interest in obstructing you nor will I do so in fact I think I will encourage you to continue"

"This is most interesting"

The man known as Kayaba Akihiko turned towards me and rested a hand on the glowing machine known as the SAO main server. We stared into each other's eyes once again gauging the others intentions. He looked down and sighed.

"Ok what do you want from me"

"Glad to get to the point we are both very busy indeed"

"well that is true but I must wonder how someone actually managed to enter this room, the security is most likely the best in the country not even anyone in ARGUS know the location to this room so it does mystify me"

"Let's just say I had prior Knowledge"

"Interesting well speak business and go I don't have much time"

"Right well we both know that in seven hours time you will begin the death game sword art online what I want is for you to allow us to join in as well"

Kayaba looked surprised for a second before his face went back to its usual poker face and this time he walked around to the side of the server and started tinkering with it. He seemed to be pondering my reasons to why I would say such a thing. I take the time to gaze around the room it was actually quite small with the majority of the space taken up by the server there was about a ten meter squared walking space which was so clean it was like a mirror the walls and roof were pretty much the same. Light would have blinded you if there were any and the frigid temperature causes even the most disciplined of soldiers to shiver it was probably to help keep the server from overheating. After tinkering around a bit Kayaba stood up and approached me.

"When you said you wanted to be join in I assumed you also wanted this"

"Wow so you really were using a casualty destabiliser as a core well you guessed right"

I stared at the diamond shaped crystal in the man's hand. I needed a few items in order to complete the mission I was given and this was one of them. Kayaba smiled as he saw through my ploy. This man doesn't even know what he is holding it's safe to say he is holding the fate of humankind in the palm of his hand. Beads of sweat started to trickle down the side of my head as I contemplated my next move. It seems I may have underestimated this man.

"Well then mister stranger let's play a game beat all one hundred floors and you can have this"

"That seems reasonable but then again you wouldn't do this without some sort of plan"

"Of course all I ask is when you play you play by the rules"

"Fine I accept your challenge just to say I have my own reasons for doing this I may tell you or I may not but when the time comes maybe we will find common goals and work towards that things will not always go in your favour so it wouldn't hurt to have some nice allies watching your back"

I turn to leave but kayaba stops me in my tracks with a single word

"Demon"

Turning around on the spot I give the man a glare that would have vaporised him in seconds. I relaxed my face as I understood what he meant. Without looking back I left the room while fiddling with a machine strapped to my arm. It seems Kayaba shall play god while I play the demon.

Kayaba Akihiko – POV

The strange visitor left the room by literally disappearing in thin air leaving me alone in the server room.

"Ha so that's how he got in"

I whispered to no one in particular. Although it may not be a he during our conversation the subject in question wore a cloak and no part of his/her body was visible. It seems to me that this game will get very interesting, well I have completed my dream what happens now is up to fate. wait a minute when he asked to join the game he said us which means there is more than one person joining the game. just what are they up to?

I finish the maintenance on the server and exited the room. while typing in the password for the room I notice that I am still holding the casualty destabiliser

"well if he knows about this then I am pretty sure he know about everything"

he is the wildcard I needed.

he most likely has the power that equals my own.


	2. Chapter 2 - The Mad Operator

Chapter 1

? – POV

It will happen soon the start of a major chain of event that will eventually cause a catastrophe I must not fail. Thoughts along these line where running through my head as I walked through the base after meeting up with Kayaba Akihiko.

"Time to get moving"

A voice snaps me out of my thoughts as we arrive at my destination. I rummage around in my pocket before taking out a black cube; it was small enough to fit in my hand so it was fairly easy to carry around. The voice came from the speaker system built into the cube it was designed for communicating with the mission operator for this mission unfortunately he can't come in person and he never will. There is are a lot of circumstances regarding the operator which I shouldn't pry into for example he will never speaks unless he has to and so far he has never told anyone his real name we all call him MARK-01 or mark for short because it's the name of the cube, which he apparently invented. But either way he doesn't mind the name and has started using it as his call sign so I am sure he likes it.

"I know I am at the labs now"

"Good all data is ready and your avatars are set up the server we are using is connected to the SAO server via a data stream similar to the neural link and a Hadrian's wall and archer module is set up as cyber defence against hackers so we won't have to worry about getting traced"

"Looks like you have outdone yourself mark if you were here I would give you a kiss"

His voice loses all form of cheerfulness for a second but then it swiftly returns

"Ha flattery won't work on me and besides you know I can't come over to that side I would break before I get there also the day my favourite agent gives me a kiss is when I'm the last guy on earth"

"You got that right I would never fall for you….. Probably"

"Ah teenagers these days so insecure and indecisive"

"Shut up it was a slip of the tongue"

"Now now if you carry on like that I will be stolen by kuroyukihime or worse shiro"

I stop in my tracks clearly shocked at the voice on the other end of the cube. My brain tried to process the data but couldn't.

"Mark since when did you target little kids"

"You mean to say you haven't notices"

"Noticed what?"

"I think she likes me you do know she helped me do the modifications to Strea's algorithms"

"if you lay a hand on Shiro her brother and kuoryukihime will kill you in the most excruciatingly painful way"

"I know but that just makes thing more exciting don't you think. Ah just the thought of touching the forbidden fruit is enough to turn me on"

"you are a creep"

"I DON'T WANT TO HERE THAT FROM A CLOSET PERVERT LIKE YOU"

"….."

I was speechless the crap that comes out of this man's mouth is the reason everyone avoids him. Among the other operatives a popular rumour is that mark went insane after his last girlfriend dumped him. I never believe in rumours but this one is starting to look more plausible. The only person I know who talk to him of their own free would will is kuroyukihime but then again she is also a special case.

"anyway back to what we were originally talking about shiro helped me modify Strea so that she is invisible to the SAO server she will be able to help you in terms of recon and analysis she has a body but she cannot freely alter sword art online so just think of here as another player rather than an AI"

"Whenever you talk like this I can never understand you"

"of course you can't understand me no one can, not even me but to put in to understandable stupid peoples language Strea will act as your partner along with Dargene and Finem

"I see"

"is that all if so that's great now go and greet your new team members and don't forget to get along now. If you screw up well you're screwed later on so have a nice day and don't forget you cant communicate with me once the death game starts but I can talk to you"

With that last message the cube went silent. Many seconds pass before I regain my composure. Wow just talking to that man exhausts me far more than any number of mobs or bosses I have had to fight in the simulator. His personality is similar to a mad scientist but I suppose all geniuses are like that well at least the ones I have met.

"That man is a walking mystery that's impossible to comprehend"

Well no wonder he is my operator from what I have heard the rest of the team are complete oddballs. This mission is important but we are all novices with the exception of mark. Well speaking about teams I might as well go introduce myself before we calibrate the nerve gears.


End file.
